Comparing prices of different powder for s-shell reloading, what r u paying for Hodgdon Clays 8# containers, I see them for $102 but out of stock, I see them for $108 coming soon, add the tax and hazmat.

Instead of paying over $100 for something that's not even in stock, why not shoot Alliant ClayDot for a lot less money. It's usually in stock, meters very similarly, and creates pressures and patterns almost identical the Hodgdon's product. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In this case, it's also great competition.

Five years ago, Alliant did not market a product called Clay Dot. Now they do. It looks like Clays. It has the same properties as Clays. It has a similar name as Clays. It uses the same data as Clays. Their website says this:

Designed for competition shooters, Clay Dot™ is functionally and technically identical to competitive shotshell powders but at a reduced price. This American-made powder meters the same through reloading press powder bushings and functions with the exact same powder charge weights to achieve equal velocities and pressures. No need to change bushings or load data.

* Optimum load for light and standard 12 gauge target loads
* Available in 8-pound canisters only (2 per case)
* Proudly made in America

Principal Purpose: Light and standard 12 ga. target

Remarks: Designed to duplicate the performance of Hodgdon® Clays™ at an economical price.

Residual burning tests are the best measurement of how clean a powder burns. These tests would surprise many. Shooters strongly believe that a powder that leaves a little residue of larger flakes is much dirtier than a powder that leaves a lot of residue of very small particles. All powders are coated with graphite and graphite will not burn at the temperatures reached in a shotgun chamber.

Clay Dot leaves a little less residue than Clays in the residual burning tests. Red Dot is not very far behind them but Red Dot does leave larger flakes of unburnt material.

You can do some simple relative residual burning tests (omitting pressure) at home and get a good relative measure of how clean powders burn. You cannot get any idea of how clean powders burn by looking down your barrel after the last shot.

I switched to Clay Dot November 09,(I had been using Clays)and have been using it ever since. The main reason is because of the cost of Clays. At that time I was paying $104.99 for Clays and $90.99 for Clay Dot (8#'ers).

Performance, I see not difference and I am satisfied with Clay Dot. You can find loading data on Alliant's Web site, check it out.

Has anybody else loaded or does anybody else use Clay Dot from Alliant? Can you also use it in a 1oz. load? Checked the price and any little bit helps in this day and age. I have loaded with 700X for 30 years and hate to change but Clay Dot is a signifigant savings and alliant has been around for years. Thanks for your opinions.

Clays in my neighborhood is $107.00 per 8#, Clay Dot is $94.00 per 8# and is in stock. I am fortunate that I have Wideners within driving distance. Some of the best prices I have seen for primers, powder, etc and I pick-up to save on the Hazmat fee's.

The last 8# of clays I bought (11/2010) run me $96.00 here in the mid-west.

Also doesn't chamber pressure have a direct affect on how clean powder burns? You hear people claim on this site that if you load your powder too light it doesn't all burn. It doesn't matter to me which powder burns the cleanest. I have found Hodgdon Clays and Hodgdon International not only looks like it burns the cleanest but they take less effort to clean my trap gun after using them.